Apparatus for distilling oils



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. A. EDWARDS.

APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING OILS. No. 439,745. Patented Nov. 4, 1890.

(No Model.)

' 2 SheetsSheet' 2; E. A. EDWARDS. APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING OILS.

Patented Nov. 4, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EVAN A. EDVARDS, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING OILS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 439,745, dated November 4, 1890.

Application filed May 23, 1890. Serial No. 352,857. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EVAN A. EDWARDS, of Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in an Apparatus for Distilling Oils; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an apparatus for distilling petroleum and other oils.

The object of the invention is to produce a device which will rapidly distill an illuminating-oil from crude petroleum and at the same time eliminate therefrom the carbonaceous and other products of distillation which have a marketable value and preserve such products in a manner to admit of their being readily collected, if desired, for the purpose of further distillation to separate the said products into their constituent elements and desulphurize the illuminating-oil, and with the same fire to produce the steam necessary therefor.

With these objects in view the invention consists in providing a series of connected Vaporizers adapted to be arranged within the fines of a boiler and connecting therewith at one end a steam and oil supply pipe and at the opposite end a tortuous duct for the passage of the vaporized oil to a condensing trap or traps.

The invention further consists in providing a series of connected Vaporizers filled with a suitable heat-conducting material and corn necting therewith at one end a steam and oil supply pipe and at the opposite end a tortuous duct leading to a series of condensingtraps for precipitating the carbonaceous deposits.

The invent-ion further consists in providiu g a supply-tank, a cistern, and a force-pump or other suitable means for keeping the oil within the supply-tank at a constant level by drawing the oil from the cistern and depositing it in the said tank.

The invention further consists in the various novel details of construction, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts, I have illustrated one form of device embodying the essential features of my invention, although the same may be carried into effect in other ways without in the least departing from the spirit thereof, and in these drawings- Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the improved distilling apparatus, showing the relative arrangement of the different parts. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same; and Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the boiler, showing the arrangement of the flues, the section being taken on the line 00 0c of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a boiler, which is partially incased and supported by a brick-work casing 2. YVithin the fiues 3 (of which there may be any number, three being shown in this instance) are 0011- centrically-arranged pipes 4, the ends of which are connected by return bends or joints 5 to form a continuous pipe, which pipes constitute in this case the Vaporizers, and are filled with a suitable heat-conducting material, such as tangled Wire, iron turnings, broken stone, or any other substance suited to the purpose. One end of one of these pipes carries a jet-nozzle or injector 6, into which open, respectively, a pipe 7, connecting with the oil-supply tank 8, and a pipe 9, connecting with a stcanrpipe 10, leading to the steamdome.

At a point adjacent to the flue-sheet is located a burner 11, connecting by means of a pipe 12 with the tank 8, and with the steampipe 10 by a pipe 13. At the opposite end of the boiler is located a condensing-trap 14:, which connects with the vaporizers by means of a series of convoluted pipe 15, forming a tortuous duct for the passage of the vaporized oil to the said condensing-trap, so that in the passage from the Vaporizers thereto the vapor willbesuificiently cooled to admit of a certain per cent. of the carbonaceous matter or tarry substances being precipitated within the same, from which they may be removed either through a man-hole 1G or through a draw-off pipe 17, located near the bottom of the said condensingtrap. Leading from the first condensing-trap is a pipe 18, which connects with another condensing-trap 19, which is also provided with a man-hole 20 and a drawoff pipe 21, and the latter condensing-trap connects with a condenser 22 by means of a pipe 23, the said condenser, which may be of any preferred construction, being provided with a pipe 24, leading to a reservoir, (notshowm) in which the finished product is stored. The condensingtrap It also connects with the burner by means of a pipe 24', the function of which is to supply gas to the said burner, thereby increasing its heating power.

At a point adjacent to the supply-tank, and preferably below the same, is a cistern 25, adapted to contain alarge quantity of oil, and into this cistern, at a point near its bot-tom, opens a pipe 26, which connects with a forcepump 27, and the latter through a pipe 28 with the said tank. From the tank extends a pipe 29, which opens into the cistern 25, the function of which will be described further on.

Having now described the different parts of my device, I will explain the manner of its operation.

The oil is first supplied to the burner through the pipe 12, and is allowed to burn until the steam rises in the boiler, the quantity of oil fed to the burn er being regulated by means of a valve-cock 30. As soon as the steam has risen a valve 31 is opened and allows the steam to mix with the oil, thereby increasing the heating power of the burner, the flames from which pass through the boilerflues and envelop the Vaporizers, and thus heat the heat-conducting material therein to a high degree. The valve 32 of the pipe 7 is then opened, which allows the oil to flow to the injector 6, where it is met by a current of air, which enters through an opening 33, and a jet of steam from the pipe 9, the latter being opened and closed by means of a valve 34:. The combined oil, air, and steam is thus shot with considerable force into the Vaporizers in a finely-divided mass, and in contacting with the heated material in its passage through the same becomes vaporized and is discharged into the tortuous duct 15 and through the same into the condensing-trap 14. As soon as the vaporizing process begins the valvecocks 30 and 31 are closed to cut off the supply of steam and oil from the burner and the valve-cock 31 is opened, thus allowing the gas from the condensing-trap 14 to be fed to the burner through the pipe 2i, whereby the heating power of the burner is highly augmented and the distillation of the oil greatly cheapened, as only a small per cent. of the petroleum is used for fuel, while nearly the entire bulk is utilized to produce a high grade of illuminating-oil. It is to be understood that there are to be as many convolutions to the pipe or duct 15 as may be necessary to produce the desired result, only three, however, being shown in this instance. \Vhen the vapor reaches the condensingtrap 14, there is a certain percent. of carbonaceous matterdeposited, and by the time it has reached the second condensing-trap l9 whatever of the sa d carbonaceous matter is held in suspension in the vapor is deposited in thelatter condensingtrap, so that when the oil reaches the condenser 22 a clear and nearly white product will be the result of the operation.

In order to keep the oil in the supply-tank at a regular height at all times the forcepump 27is employed, which pumps a constant supply of oil from the cistern to the tank, the level of the latter being kept at the same height at all times by means of the pipe 29. It is to be understood that, if desired, a gang of boilers may be employed,theburners of which may be supplied by the gas generated by any one of them, in the manner described herein.

It will be readily seen from the forego ng description that, although this device is simple of construction, it will be found of the highest efiiciency and durability in use and will vaporize and condense the oil in a rapid and certain manner, while at the same time preserving the carbonaceous deposits for further distillation, if desired.

I would distinctly have it understood that I do not limit myself to the exact construction shown and described herein, but may Vary widely therefrom in carrying myinvention into effect, so long as the broadidea of arranging the vaporizers within the boiler-fines and of connecting the same with a series of condensing-traps by means of atortuous duct or ducts be retained.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an apparatus for distilling oil, the combination, with a flue-boiler, of a series of Vaporizers arranged in the fines of the same, a steam and an oil supply pipe connecting therewith at one end, and aseries of condensing-traps connected therewith at the opposite end.

2. In an apparatus for distilling oil, the combination, with a flue-boiler, of a series of vaporizcrs arranged in the tines of the same, an injector having an air-inlet carried by one end of the said vaporizers and connecting with a steam and an oil supply pipe, a series of condensing-traps, and a tortuous duct connecting the Vaporizers and condensing-traps.

In an apparatus for distilling oil, the combination, with a flue-boiler, of a series of vaporizers arranged in the flues of the same, a supply-tank, a cistern, means for forcing the water from the cistern to the tank, a pipe connecting the Vaporizers and supply-tank, and a series of condensing-traps connected with the Vaporizers.

t. In an apparatus for distilling oil, the

combination, with a fine-boiler, of a series of In testimony that I claim the foregoing as Vaporizers arranged in the flues of the same, my own I hereby affix my signatures in presa steam and an oil supply pipe connecting ence of two witnesses.

therewith at one end, aseries of condensing- EVAN A. EDWARDS. traps connecting therewith at the opposite Witnesses: end, a burner, and a pipe connecting the con- WILLIAM WEBSTER, densing-traps and burner. ROBERT M. ELLIOTT. 

